CEC presents new social learning and communication technologies to enhance environmental sustainability in the Arab Region

23 September 2007 | News story

Participants from universities, NGOs, government offices, and global networks from the Arab region joined together at the Alexandria Library to explore new learning to support and promote accelerated learning in the Arab region.

The participants were introduced to new communication technologies like blogs, wikis and many similar websites where they learned how to use new online social networking and Web 2.0 learning tools to share knowledge and exchange information on sustainable development issues in the region. Those tools as well as many case study applications from the region were presented through a two and a half -day workshop entitled "New Learning for Sustainability in the Arab Region" which took place in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt during Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 2007.

The workshop has brought education, learning and sustainability practitioners together from three key partners who organized this workshop: the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC), Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Alexandria Library), and IUCN Regional Office for West Asia/ Middle East (WAME). The event was linked to the First Annual Youth Environmental Network Meeting for the Arab Region which was also held in the Alexandria Library.

The workshop aimed at building capacities to use new communication and information technologies to enhance environmental sustainability learning. Plenary presentations from practitioners and educators were combined with practical hands-on workshops to help people experiment with these tools with the help of experienced users. Representatives from environmental organizations (mainly IUCN WAME members) and institutions of higher education, learning practitioners and new social media advocates were present at this workshop.